San Francisco's drug and homelessness crisis is impacting everyone, and the community is sounding the alarm. As San Franciscans raise issues of safety, over the last 5 years the city has lost more than 4,500 people to fatal overdoses. Although San Francisco has poured billions of dollars into proposed solutions, our public health systems continue to fail the community. Many people continue to deny the link between addiction, homelessness, and crime, while others with lived experience are calling for balanced, common-sense strategies.

The Way Out is a recovery-focused homeless initiative of the Salvation Army at the intersection of drug addiction and homelessness, grounded in the belief that people recover when given the right support, structure and opportunity. Built on an abstinence-based model (including medication-assisted treatment, or MAT), The Way Out provides real-time access to services and a clear pathway from the streets to stability and independence. Delivered through a comprehensive Recovery System of Care, services include a recovery-focused shelter, stabilization, and withdrawal management; residential drug treatment; recovery housing and independent living; workforce development and life skills, and an alumni support network.